


Is Something Wrong With Love?

by Dragonmaster



Category: Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Interspecies Romance, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 11:24:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonmaster/pseuds/Dragonmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The humans of Griffin Rock's Rescue Team do not react well to finding out Heatwave and Boulder are lovers... which only makes Chase all the more reluctant to confess his feelings for Chief Burns...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Is Something Wrong With Love?

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bunny, had to get it out of my system. Takes place sometime after "Bot to the Future." No sex or interfacing, just feelings and cuteness, some kissing, and implied offscreen mech/mech.

It had been the most innocent of actions, a spontaneous gesture of happiness... and yet now it threatened to tear Griffin Rock's Rescue Team apart.

It started with a forest fire that all four Rescue Bots had been called out to control -- Chase to clear campers and hikers out of the area and the other three to combat the flames directly. Boulder stayed at the fringes of the fire, digging up firebreaks and starting backfires in an effort to control the spread of the flames, while Heatwave and Blades were right in the thick of things, the former battling from the ground and the latter dropping loads of water and flame-retardant from above. It had been a standard mission -- dangerous, but not overly so.

Then Blades had radioed Chase and Boulder in a panic, reporting that Heatwave was stuck between the main blaze and a backburn. Chief Burns had his hands full between helping Chase evacuate a nearby campsite and trying to calm the hysterical copter-bot down, and Dani had been of little help, remarking that Heatwave could take care of himself and would Blades please focus on the job instead of flipping out like this.

Chase had been about to dismiss protocol entirely and order Boulder into the woods to go find their leader when, to everyone's intense relief, Heatwave had emerged from the trees, covered in soot and irritated that the backfire had failed but unharmed. And then the trouble had struck.

For with no warning whatsoever, and to the humans' complete bewilderment, Boulder had rushed forward and tackled Heatwave in a relieved hug... and proceeded to plant a kiss on his mouth.

***

Chase still had no idea what the issue was... but apparently it was a big one to the humans. Especially Kade, to Heatwave's intense displeasure.

"And just when were you planning on telling us about this?" Kade demanded, glaring up at the Rescue Bot leader.

"I don't go prying into your personal life!" Heatwave snapped, giving Kade an equally heated look. "Or what you and Haley get up to..."

"That's different!" Kade insisted.

"Everyone calm down!" Chief Burns ordered. "Yelling about this isn't going to help solve a thing."

The humans and Bots had returned to the bunker beneath headquarters to sort things out, and so far things had only degenerated into a shouting match. Kade had not taken the news that Heatwave and Boulder were lovers well at all, and Dani hadn't helped matters by squealing in disgust when she learned the news. Graham had tried to restore some measure of order, while Blades and Boulder just stayed back, not wanting to draw anyone's ire by getting involved. Cody was absent entirely -- Chief Burns had sent him to the command center, claiming he wasn't "ready" for this discussion, whatever that meant.

Now, in the wake of the Chief's demand for silence, Kade and Heatwave settled for glowering at one another, as if each hoped to reduce the other to ash with their mere gaze. Chase couldn't help a dismayed sigh. Just when it appeared that their team was finally operating as a cohesive whole, this had to happen. Even if he wasn't exactly sure what "this" was yet.

"How long have you two been... um... seeing each other?" Graham finally ventured.

"For awhile," Boulder replied, his voice softer than usual as if hoping not to provoke Kade or Heatwave further. "Not too long after we landed here. It just started getting physical a couple months ago..." He trailed off at Kade's disgusted look, realizing he'd gone too far.

"How do robots have sex anyhow?" Dani demanded. "Not that I want to think about it."

"Who cares?" Kade huffed. "It's nasty is what it is."

"How is what Boulder and I do nasty when I know for a fact what you and Haley get up to on your little dates?" Heatwave retorted.

Kade went bright red. Graham snorted, trying and failing to hold back a chuckle. Chief Burns looked a bit dismayed, but elected not to say anything.

"That's different!" Kade sputtered at last.

"You've given that answer twice now," Chase pointed out, "and yet I fail to see the difference between yourself and another human having a relationship, and Heatwave pursuing the same type of relationship with another Autobot."

"Because you're both guys!" Kade exclaimed.

Chase cocked his head to the side. "And this is a problem?"

"Wait a minute," Chief Burns cut in, furrowing his brow. "You're saying it's normal for two male robots-"

"Mechs," Chase corrected.

"Two mechs to have an intimate relationship?" the Chief finished. "All of you are attracted to other mechs?"

Chase hesitated, wondering if answering the question was worth the potential difficulty it could cause. Heatwave and Boulder, too, seemed reluctant to answer. It was Blades, ever the bluntly honest one, who spoke up.

"To be honest," he said, "the four of us have been together so long that each of us has been involved with all the others at least once at some point."

Dead silence. Then Kade exploded.

"That's it!" he cried. "I'm through! I refuse to work with a fag!"

"Kade!" Chief Burns shouted, eyes flashing. "That's enough!"

"What's a fag?" Blades asked quietly. His question went entirely unheard.

"Dad, you can't make me work with him!" Kade snapped. "I can't and I won't!"

"I didn't raise you to be a bigot, Kade!" the Chief snapped back. "What does it matter if Heatwave and Boulder are a couple? It doesn't affect their performance in the field. If you don't want to work with Heatwave, then I won't force you to... but call him a fag or any other derogatory name one more time and I'm taking you off the team entirely!"

Chase gave an involuntary shiver at the heat in Chief Burns' tone. He'd never seen the elder Burns this angry before. Normally he was one of the most level-headed humans Chase had ever come across. But this issue had apparently pushed him too far.

"Well, fine!" Kade shouted, pulling off his fireman's coat and flinging it over a chair. "Didn't want to work on a team that's half queers anyhow!" And he stormed out.

Silence descended on the bunker again as Kade left. Blades and Dani wore identical expressions of shock, jaws hanging open and eyes and optics wide. Boulder looked like he wanted to curl up in a corner and hide, and Graham kept a comforting hand on his leg despite looking a bit stunned himself. Heatwave clenched his jaw, still radiating anger, and Chief Burns had his arms folded across his chest as he focused on getting a handle on himself.

"Chief Burns," Chase said at last, once he was sure it was safe to talk, "I don't understand. Did Heatwave and Boulder do something wrong? Is it inappropriate for Boulder to be intimate with his superior?"

Chief Burns sighed. "It's not that. There's... things you 'Bots don't know about the human ways. And I'm sorry to say, it's one of the less pleasant aspects of our culture... and something we've been fighting to change." He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Graham, Dani, you can go. You're off-duty now, and this is going to be a fairly long discussion."

Graham shook his head. "I'm staying with Boulder. I think he could use some support right now."

"I'll stay too," Dani offered.

The Chief nodded. "The problem seems simple on the surface... but is a lot more complicated than it seems at first glance. I know gender doesn't mean a whole lot to you 'Bots... but to a lot of humans, it means everything. And for a long time, it's been considered wrong for two humans of the same gender to have a romantic relationship."

Blades frowned. "Why? If they love each other, that shouldn't matter, right?"

"It shouldn't, but to a lot of people it does," Chief Burns replied. "As for the why... that's the complicated part. I guess in the very beginning, it was a matter of the survival of our species -- until very recently it was impossible for two people of the same gender to have children. Even now, it generally takes a surrogate to make it possible. Later on, it was a religious matter, since most religions made it a sin to have homosexual relations-"

"Homo-what?" Heatwave repeated, puzzlement cutting through his anger.

"Same-sex relations," Graham answered. "It's the proper term for it."

Chief Burns nodded and continued. "Anyhow, it's only been in recent years that people have begun accepting same-sex couples and homosexuality. And as you just saw, there are still people who find it offensive -- heck, it's even still illegal in some areas. Whether it's for religious reasons, or because they just find the thought of two men or two women sleeping together unnatural, the end result is the same -- a lot of needless hatred."

Chase frowned. "So Kade would have no issues with Heatwave and Boulder having a relationship if one of them were a femme?"

"I'm not sure, but it's possible... and I'm not sure how this is funny." The Chief scowled at Dani, who had suddenly snorted in laughter.

"Sorry," she apologized, though she still grinned a little. "I was just suddenly imagining Heatwave as a girl."

"Heatwave as a femme..." Blades murmured, obviously pondering that mental image himself. Then he cracked up laughing, and despite himself Boulder joined in. Heatwave just scowled, though he looked more annoyed than actually angry.

"No such restrictions regarding personal relationships exist in our culture," Chase put in. "However, seeing as we don't reproduce in the same manner as humans, I assume that's irrelevant."

"Relevent enough to some people, it seems," Heatwave muttered.

"So what do we do?" asked Graham. "With Kade off the team, who's going to be partnered with Heatwave now? It'll look suspicious if he starts showing up at emergency scenes without a driver or a handler."

"We'll work on finding him a replacement," Chief Burns replied. "For now, the cover story will be that Kade's decided to take some time off, and that Heatwave's operating by remote control. And I want to be clear with all of you -- Heatwave and Boulder's relationship is their own business. It changes nothing, and I don't want anyone giving them a hard time about it. Is that clear?"

Graham nodded. Dani still looked a little squicked at the whole thing but nodded as well.

"Good." Chief Burns sighed and stood. "I'm going for a walk. I need to cool down a bit before I talk to Kade again, or I'm going to end up biting his head off."

"Perhaps it would be best if I accompanied you, Chief," Chase offered. "Night is approaching, and the streets might not be safe."

Chief Burns looked about to protest, but in the end he just nodded. "Griffon Rock's pretty safe even at night, but still, it couldn't hurt. And I could use the company."

As Chase followed the Chief out of the bunker, he turned to catch Heatwave giving him an odd look. He wondered a moment what the problem was, then pushed it aside and walked out. He would ask later -- for now, the Chief needed him.

***

For the first part of their drive, Chief Burns and Chase were quiet, the Chief thoughtful, Chase being respectful of his partner's right to privacy. At last, however, curiosity drove Chase to speak up.

"Chief, if I may," he ventured, "I have a question."

"Hmm? Oh, go ahead."

"You spoke of humans needing two individuals of opposite genders to procreate," he said. "In that case, who is the co-creator of your offspring? You've never spoken of having a mate. Or are the four of them some sort of anamoly to your natural laws?"

Chief Burns blinked, then chuckled softly. "Oh no, there's no anamoly there. They had a mother." His laughter faded, and his features took on a wistful cast. "Her name was Molly. She worked our aquatic rescue division -- accidents on the river or at sea, that sort of thing."

The visage on Chase's interior communications screen tilted curiously. "You speak of her as if she no longer exists, Chief."

He sighed, leaning back in his seat. "She died about five years ago."

"Oh." What else could Chase say? "My apologies, sir. I did not mean..."

"It's okay," Burns replied, though his voice remained quiet. "You deserve to know."

"Is it inappropriate for me to ask how she died?" Chase asked. "Did a rescue operation go wrong?"

Burns shook his head. "Cancer. We knew it was coming, and did our best to prepare for it. Doesn't really make it easier, though." He pulled out his wallet and flipped it open, then held it before the screen. "Here, a picture of her."

Chase studied the image in the Chief's wallet -- a family snapshot, showing the Chief in a relaxed moment with younger versions of the four Burns siblings... and with a tall, well-tanned woman with curly red hair and a wide smile. 

"She loved the water," he went on, folding the wallet again and pocketing it. "I teased her about being Griffin Rock's resident mermaid all the time, though I think she took it as a compliment. She had a temper, like Kade, but she didn't let it get in the way of her job. And she was always able to find something to laugh about, even in the toughest times."

"You miss her still," Chase observed.

"Yeah... it's one of those things you never really get over, I guess. Though it gets better with time."

Chase went quiet, pondering what the elder Burns had told him. The Chief had never talked quite so openly to him before... but then, he'd never asked such personal questions before, thinking it would be inappropriate to be so friendly with what was essentially his superior. Talking to him about such close matters felt liberating... but also a little frightening, as if he were learning too much.

"You're awfully quiet," Chief Burns noted.

"Oh... um, I was focusing on the road, sir."

"You drive this road all the time," the Chief laughed, patting his steering wheel. "So what about you? Do you have someone else in your life? Do you and Blades have something going on?"

"Negative," Chase replied. "Blades has been seeing someone else."

"Someone else?" Chief Burns frowned. "There's only the four of you, unless you have an ambulance or tow truck teammate I don't know about."

"Bumblebee has been sneaking onto the island from time to time to visit," Chase confessed -- he figured Blades wouldn't mind if he shared the information. "The two of them have grown quite close."

"Aah." The Chief nodded. "What about you? Do you have a significant other on Prime's team?"

"No, sir," Chase replied. "They are good mechs, but I haven't pursued any sort of relationship with any of them. I haven't had an intimate relationship since coming to Earth."

"Give it time," the Chief assured him. "You'll find someone." He looked up with a start as Chase slowed to park. "Back already?"

"Yes sir. I hope the drive relaxed you."

"It did, thank you. Now to go see if Kade's home yet, and if he's calmed down enough to talk to." As he stepped out of the carformer, he patted his hood gratefully. "You have a good night. Rest well."

Warmth flooded Chase's spark at that contact, and his dashboard screen flashed a rare smile. "You as well, Chief."

Once Chief Burns had gone into the house, Chase transformed and headed for the back lawn of the rescue base, one hand still pressed to his chest where the human had touched him. The Chief might have settled his feelings to some degree during their drive, but Chase's were still in a whirl. He wanted a little more time to think before he went back to the bunker to rest.

Settling himself on the grass, he leaned back on his hands and gazed up into the sky, watching the stars glitter above. Before he had always challenged himself to find Cybertron's star system when looking up into Earth's night sky, to comfort himself that home was still there. But he found he had no desire to do so tonight. Was he that unsettled inside? Or was it just because there was finally something here on Earth worth staying for?

"You didn't tell him."

Chase turned to see Heatwave walking toward him, and sighed. "It is against regulations to eavesdrop on a private conversation."

"Rules were made to be broken," Heatwave shot back, and sat down heavily beside him, leaning back to mirror Chase's pose. "How's the Chief?"

"Doing well. He has gone inside to confront Kade."

Heatwave snorted. "Little brat's not back yet from wherever he went. Besides, lot of good talking to him will do. He's stubborn." He shot Chase a sidelong glance. "You didn't tell him. I didn't need to eavesdrop to know that."

"Tell him what?" Chase inquired. Maybe if he played ignorant, Heatwave would drop the matter.

"Don't act stupid," Heatwave retorted. "You didn't tell him you have feelings for him."

Chase turned to stare at Heatwave, optics wide. "How did you..."

"It's pretty obvious," Heatwave replied, shrugging. "You and him are joined at the hip practically, and you fuss over him like a mother cyberhawk over her hatchlings when he gets hurt in the line of duty. We all know about it -- scrap, Blades and Boulder have an ongoing bet over when you're going to cave in and kiss him."

Chase sighed. "Then the humans have discovered it as well?"

"Are you kidding?" Heatwave demanded, and for the first time that day he laughed a bit. "They're idiots. Well, not Graham or the Chief, but they seem to think you're just good friends. And after that fiasco today, that's probably all they'll accept you as."

At that, Chase shuttered his optics, feeling pain lance through his spark at that. "And that's precisely why I can never admit to Chief Burns that I care about him in that way. Aside from the obvious differences in our size and species -- and the fact that he has had a mate previously, one he still has obvious feelings for -- there's that obstacle of what's acceptable in their culture. If he found out I... that I..."

"Love him," Heatwave finished for him. "You can say it, Chase. You love him."

Chase sighed deeply. "If he found out that I... love him... he'd never want to work with me again." He leaned forward to press his forehead against his knees, emotion rushing through him as he finally admitted his fear. "I don't want to lose him, Heatwave. What we have now, this partnership, isn't enough for me, but it's all I have, and it will have to do. I'd rather have it that way than lose him entirely."

Heatwave was normally far from being a comforting sort, but at Chase's admission his expression softened, and he rested a hand on his teammate's shoulder. "You gotta tell him sometime, Chase. It'll just eat you up inside if you don't. I know you don't want to lose him, but that's a risk you'll have to take."

Chase drew in a shuddering intake. "I'm... scared... Heatwave. Scared to my core processor."

"Want one of us to be with you when you talk to him?" Heatwave offered.

"I-" began Chase, only for the base's alarms to go off.

"Oh, for..." growled Heatwave, pushing himself to his feet. "Why tonight of all nights? Thought we had the fire out!"

Cody's voice came in over the radio, high with panic. "Rescue Bots, assemble!"

"What's the situation, Cody?" Chase asked, standing as well.

"It's Dr. Morocco!" Cody replied. "He's... he's holding Doc Green and Frankie hostage!"

***

As Chase, Heatwave, and Boulder tore through the streets of Griffin Rock, racing toward Doc Green's lab, and Blades led the way through the skies, Chief Burns briefed them on the situation over the rescue frequency.

"City Hall got the call about fifteen minutes ago," he reported. "Dr. Morocco appears to have rebuilt his Mor-Bot, and used it to break into the labs. He's delivering an ultimatum -- turn the contents of the lab over to him, or he'll sic the Mor-Bot on Dr. Green and his daughter."

"That scumbag!" Dani growled. "If I get close enough for Blades to use his grappling hook, I'll pick him up and drop him in the ocean!"

"Please don't," Blades whimpered. "I'd rather not get THAT close to him."

"Everyone calm down," Graham advised. "We all need to keep a cool head about this."

At the lab, all four vehicles came to a stop and, in the case of all but Heatwave, let their passengers disembark before transforming to robot mode. Police and SWAT teams already surrounded the laboratory, and a regular police helicoptor circled overhead, shining a spotlight down on the roof where a hulking robot paced back and forth like a sentry. Chase felt his fuel tank curdle at spotting the Mor-Bot -- a twisted mockery of a Cybertronian, technology so similar to their physiology but gone horribly wrong. He had never thought it possible to hate a human, but Dr. Morocco came close to earning his hatred.

"Okay, we need a plan," Graham murmured, staring up at the roof. 

"Why do we need a plan?" demanded Heatwave. "Just climb up there, trash the Mor-Bot, and take the psycho on face to face."

"Except innocent lives are at risk, Heatwave," the Chief replied. "If we're to save Dr. Green and-"

A cool, cultured voice broke in over the airwaves at that moment. "Ah, the noble Rescue Force of Griffin Rock! So glad you could come join the party."

Chase's engine coughed in shock. How had Dr. Morocco cut into a secure frequency so easily?

"Dr. Morocco," the Chief replied, working to keep his voice level. "We've got the building surrounded. Come out with your hands up."

Morocco laughed heartily. "Aren't you adorable, Mr. Burns? You and your entire precious family rescue operation, and your cheap pet robots..."

"Cheap?" Heatwave snarled aloud before Boulder nudged him to be quiet.

"You should know by now not to underestimate us, Dr. Morocco," Chief Burns replied. "If you won't surrender, at least let Dr. Green and his daughter go."

"Is that all you want?" Morocco asked, his voice oily with pleasure. "I would have thought you'd want something else, Mr. Burns. Was your family falling out that bad?"

"What do you..." began the Chief, then his eyes went wide with horror. "What have you done?"

In answer the Mor-Bot stepped into the helicoptor's spotlight and raised a fist. The Chief gasped in shock, Dani gave a little cry of fright, and even the Rescue Bots gaped. Clenched in the robot's fist was Kade, squirming against the metallic fingers imprisoning him.

"Kade!" the Chief shouted, one hand outstretched toward the lab's roof.

"Dad!" Kade shouted back, still struggling.

"What was he thinking?" Dani demanded, paling. "Trying to rescue them on his own? Is he crazy?"

"He wasn't thinking, and he IS crazy," Heatwave snapped.

"If you want to see your son again, Mr. Burns," Morocco said smoothly, "you and your Rescue Bots will turn around and leave this place. If you haven't left in ten minutes... well, it will have been nice knowing the young man." And the Mor-Bot stepped out of the light.

Chief Burns stared up at the roof, clenching his fists in impotent anger and worry. Chase wished the others weren't around at the moment -- he wanted so badly to crouch down and do something to comfort him, but felt awkward doing it in public. Instead, he simply fixed his gaze on the roof, watching the Mor-Bot pace.

"We'll rescue him, Chief," he vowed. "That is a certainty."

"How?" asked Boulder, spreading his hands helplessly. "If we get close, he'll kill the humans!"

"We don't let him see us get close," Graham replied, a slight smile crossing his face as something occured to him. "Dad, have they covered up that entrance to the tunnels under the labs yet?"

"They... they've barricaded it," he replied weakly. "Just a cheap wooden fence until they can get a concrete wall poured..."

"Perfect." He patted Boulder's leg. "If you can handle doing a little smashing, we can be in in no time. Everyone else better go, so he thinks we're really complying with his demands."

"What?" Dani burst out. "No way am I letting you do this by yourself, Graham!"

"But Dani-"

"Don't 'but, Dani' me! You guys need backup, and Blades and I are gonna provide it."

Blades whimpered just a bit. "I don't even get a choice?" But then his gaze moved to the Chief, and he drew himself up a little straighter and nodded. "I'll go... I don't want anyone to be hurt. But it'd better not be scary!"

"If the two of you are going, then I should accompany you," Chase added. "You'll need backup."

Heatwave looked up at the roof, a scowl still on his face, then sighed. "I'll go... but only to save Doc Green. Still don't want to even look at Kade."

"Well... I guess some extra muscle on the team -- so to speak -- can't hurt," Graham noted.

"Rescue Bots, roll to the rescue!" Heatwave ordered.

\---

The interior of Doc Green's lab was weirdly quiet as the Rescue Bots slipped out of the tunnel and through the darkened rooms. The usual hum of machinery and bubble of chemicals was absent, and the many robotic assistants that flitted through the lab were still and quiet, some with obvious damage to their chasses. The giant computer screen in one corner was webbed with cracks, and Trex lay curled up on his back in the corner, smoke rising from a gaping hole in his chest.

"Looks like Doc Green didn't go down without a fight," the Chief whispered. "Okay, split up and take separate paths to the roof. We'll try to surround Dr. Morocco and get him to surrender."

"Isn't splitting the party the worst thing you can do?" Blades worried.

"That's only in DnD, Blades," Graham assured him. "It's a sound strategy in real life most of the time."

"Wait, you've been teaching Blades Dungeons and Dragons?" Dani asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... he wanted to learn the rules..." Graham replied sheepishly.

"We can discuss the particulars of role-playing games later," Chase interrupted, a little more shortly than he intended. "Lives are at stake at the moment."

"Heatwave, Blades, Dani, go through the east wing to the roof," Chief Burns ordered. "Chase, Boulder, Graham, we'll take the west. Meet up top, and be prepared for anything."

As their group made their way through the halls, Chase couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease throughout his sensory network. Despite the halls looking deserted and dark, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched... and that their arrival was being anticipated. Something was going to go very wrong, or they were going to walk straight into a trap or an ambush...

His fears were realized as they reached the roof... and found themselves facing down not one, but several of the Mor-Bots. Wicked scarlet visors fixed on them, and there was a hum of cannons powering up as more of the hulking mechs moved in to block their escape from behind.

"Oh Chief Burns, you are SO predictable," Dr. Morocco chuckled, stepping out from behind the leg of the tallest Mor-Bot. "You couldn't resist playing the hero, could you? You OR your offspring."

"Dr. Morocco, it's not worth it," Chief Burns said firmly, ignoring the menacing glares of the Mor-Bots. "This isn't worth risking innocent lives. Do what you want with me, but let my family and Dr. Green's family go."

Chase made a strangled sound in his vocalizer, and it took all his willpower not to shout a denial. Did the Chief truly intend to sacrifice himself to save the others?

"You honestly think it's YOU I'm after?" Dr. Morocco demanded. "Or even that Dr. Green and his child's-play research? No, I had a better prize in mind." His gaze rested on Chase and Boulder, and his smile took on a greedy tilt. "These mechs... far too sophisticated to be Dr. Green's handiwork... they'll be a nice ransom in exchange for your precious scientist and headstrong spawn."

"The Rescue Bots?" Graham exclaimed. "No way!"

Dr. Morocco sighed. "I don't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. MB-6? Crush the little one."

One of the Mor-Bots beeped in reply and strode toward the center of the roof, where Dr. Green and Frankie sat tied to chairs. Frankie gasped and squirmed to free herself of her bonds, but to no avail.

"Call it off!" Chief Burns shouted. "Look, give us time to at least consider!"

Dr. Morocco smirked, obviously pleased to have the upper hand, then turned to the Mor-Bot. "Cancel that order."

MB-6 had bent down to snatch Frankie, but at Morocco's voice it straightened up and was still.

"You have one minute, Burns," the scientist warned. "Consider fast."

Chief Burns was silent, a look of profound worry on his face. He looked at Graham, who shook his head desperately, then up at Boulder, who was nodding as if giving the go-ahead to make the trade. Then he turned to face Chase, as if it would be the police cruiser who would be making the final decision.

In all the time Chase had been working with the human officer, he had grown to read his facial expressions very well, down to the slight nuances that others might miss. He could read concern for his son and for Dr. Green in his face... but also concern for the Rescue Bots, who he felt responsible for and who could only face a terrible fate in Dr. Morocco's hands. He also sensed anticipation -- he had hoped for more time from their enemy, a chance to stall long enough for Heatwave and Blades to make it to the roof and provide much-needed backup. If they could just hold out a little longer...

Chase met the Chief's gaze, and he gave the slightest of nods, hoping that his own thoughts were readable on his faceplate. He understood, and he was willing to make the sacrifice if it meant saving human lives... especially the lives of humans close to Chief Burns. Besides, there was always a chance the Rescue Bots could fight back and escape -- something the humans wouldn't have. 

Chief Burns nodded back, then turned to face Dr. Morocco. "Morocco..." A long pause, as if he had to force the words out. "You have a deal."

Dr. Morocco gave a delighted laugh. "I knew you'd see it my way. MB-6, cut Dr. Green and the child loose. MB-2, drop the brat. Gently."

MB-6 activated a laser that sliced through Dr. Green and Frankie's bonds, and from further back a loud "oof!" could be heard as MB-2 let Kade fall to the roof. Chief Burns' features relaxed slightly as the three ran over to join him and Graham, Kade limping slightly.

"Are any of you hurt?" the Chief demanded.

"We're okay," Dr. Green assured him. "But Chief... you can't honestly..."

"I'm doing what has to be done," the Chief cut in. "Kade, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, rubbing at his ribs. "Dad... I... about last night..."

"Save it for later, all right?" the Chief ordered. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Sorry to break up this touching moment," Dr. Morocco sneered, "but I believe you owe me something. Shut down your units so my Mor-Bots can transport them more easily."

"Over my cold deactivated chassis!"

The Mor-Bots whirled almost at once to face the speaker... and the front ranks of them went down as they were struck by a high-pressure water blast. Heatwave just grinned as he swept his hydro-cannons, aiming to knock down more of the mechs.

"Oh for... stop them!" Dr. Morocco snapped.

Boulder took advantage of Heatwave's distraction to strike, transforming and plowing into the Mor-Bots' legs from behind. Chase decided to follow his teammates' leads and aimed a fist at the nearest Mor-Bot's head. There was a satisfying CRUNCH as something vital in the mech's cranial unit shattered, and it went down twitching. Another Mor-Bot lunged at him, but a hook snagged into it from behind and lifted it high in the air.

"Thank you, Blades!" Chase called up, saluting.

"Sometimes you're the rescuer, and sometimes you're the rescue-ee!" Blades laughed, and he swooped away, dropping the flailing Mor-Bot into the sea before coming back to hook another. "Whee! It's like fishing!"

"Glad somebody's having fun," Heatwave muttered, then took a swing at another Mor-Bot. His hand punched through its chest, and it dropped to the ground in a flurry of sparks. "Cheap robots? Ha! These things go down like tin cans!"

Chase delivered a kick that sent a Mor-Bot flying off the roof, then turned to face the humans. "Chief, get the others to safety. We'll handle matters up here."

"On it," the Chief replied. "Dani, Graham, get Doc Green and Frankie downstairs!"

"Hey, what about me?" demanded Kade.

The Chief raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you quit the team?"

"I... uh..." Kade stammered, not sure how to proceed. "Maybe I was stupid for just up and quitting... Heatwave's still okay..."

"We'll talk about it later," the Chief replied. "Let's get you to a hospital..."

"Chief, get out of here!" Chase ordered... just as a Mor-Bot took aim at Chief Burns and Kade. Heatwave tackled it to the ground with a wild cry, but not before it squeezed off a shot.

Chase didn't stop to think. He dove to the roof, putting himself between Chief Burns and the blast.

Pain flared through his systems, and the last thing his sensors recorded before he fell offline was Chief Burns shouting his name in a panic.

***

"Chase? Chase, can you hear me?"

Chase didn't want to online his optics -- he was too comfortable, and so tired that he could have slept for another day or two. But it was Chief Burns addressing him, and one didn't ignore a question from a superior.

"I'm... functional," he said quietly, slowly bringing his systems online one by one. "Are you... okay... Chief?"

"Thanks to you," the Chief replied, relief flooding his voice. "I owe you my life, Chase... thank you."

"Just... doing... my duty." He brought his optics online.

Funny... Chief Burns had always looked so small before. Now, though, he looked almost Chase's size, and the hand resting on his arm -- a hand as large as any mech's -- confirmed that it wasn't just a trick of his optics. Blades, Heatwave, and Boulder towered over him, as did...

"Ratchet!" Chase made to sit up, but a massive hand reached down to keep him prone.

"Don't strain yourself!" the Autobot medic ordered. "Your systems are still powering up. Give yourself time to fully re-energize before you attempt anything strenuous."

"Optimus Prime sent Ratchet to fix you," Heatwave explained. "Dr. Morocco's Mor-Bots may be brainless tin cans, but they still pack a punch. Lucky he got here in time to stabilize you."

"Your body's still undergoing massive repairs," Ratchet added. "Until I can complete them, you're going to have to make do with that smaller body." He shook his head in resignation. "Why your resident scientist built miniature replicas of all four of you, I can only speculate, but I for one am glad he did."

Bemused, Chase raised an arm to look himself over. This body felt the same as his normal chassis, and even looked the same... only in miniature. He was human-sized now.

"This... will take some getting used to," he noted.

Ratchet managed a bit of a smile. "Don't get TOO comfortable in it. Your repairs should take a couple of weeks maximum." He shot Blades and Heatwave a glare. "They wouldn't take even that long if a certain pair of SOMEBODIES hadn't stepped on my welder while playing football in the base!"

Blades ducked his head at the rebuke, but Heatwave just shrugged. "We're not allowed to play it outside. And we have to entertain ourselves in this dump somehow."

Ratchet snorted. "Get out of here. Let your teammate rest a bit. You can bother him later."

"Don't let the Doctor of Doom harass you too much," Boulder told Chase, shooting him a wink as he led the others out.

"Is it all right if I stay a little longer?" Chief Burns asked the medic. "I'd like to talk to Chase a bit more."

"That's fine so long as you don't tire him out," Ratchet conceded. "I'm going back to work. If his condition changes any, let me know." And he strode to the other side of the bunker.

The Chief pulled up a chair and sat down beside the raised platform that was serving Chase as a berth for the moment. With a sigh he reached up to run his fingers through his gray hair, and Chase was suddenly struck by how tired he looked. How long had he been sitting at his side anyhow? He was oddly touched by the gesture... but he had to silence that part of his processor that wanted to take that as a sign of something more. The Chief was and would always be a friend, nothing more... no matter how he wanted it otherwise.

"Are you okay, Chief?" he finally asked.

"I'm doing fine," the Chief assured him. "It's just been a long couple of days. Kade's out of the hospital -- he broke a few ribs, but he should be fine if he takes it easy for a few weeks. And he and Heatwave are talking again, so that's a start."

"Was Dr. Morocco apprehended?"

Chief Burns shook his head. "He got away in the confusion after you were shot. There's been no sign of him."

"I see." Chase tilted his head to one side. "Is that what has you so worried, sir?"

"No," he confessed. "Well, partly, but... Chase, you saved my life. And you were willing to give up yours to do it. I honestly thought I was going to lose you."

Chase didn't know how to respond to that. He refused to take it as a sign that there was a chance Chief Burns might like him as something more than a partner, though. He wouldn't let himself build his hopes up, especially when the Chief obviously still cared for his deceased wife...

"So how long have you had a crush on me?"

Had Chase been an organic, he would have choked in shock at that sudden question. He stared at the Chief with wide optics, unable to form words for a moment. "H-how did you... did Heatwave..."

Chief Burns shook his head. "Heatwave's kept your secret, but it's been some little things I've noticed over the past few days. Well, that and you talk in your sleep."

Never in Chase's functioning time did he want to crawl into a hole and die more than at that moment. He turned his head away, clenching his fists. "I... I apologize, Chief Burns... my feelings toward you are wholly inappropriate. I will try to rectify the situation."

"Why?" the Chief replied, sounding startled. "Chase, you can't help how you feel! There's nothing wrong with feelings."

"But Chief Burns..."

"Charlie," he replied. "When we're not on duty, you can call me by my first name, all right?"

Chase hesitated, unused to calling the Chief so informally. "Charlie... you've told us that your world looks down on relationships between two males. And there's the matter of our species... and our size under normal circumstances... and Molly." He turned to face him. "You still harbor feelings toward her, and I wouldn't want to come between that."

"Oh Chase," Charlie murmured, resting a hand on Chase's arm. "You've been beating yourself up about this, haven't you?"

"It's... something I've been thinking about, sir- I mean Charlie," he replied. "I care about you... I would even go so far as to admit... that I love you. But I am willing to accept that there can never be anything more than friendship between us."

Charlie just looked at him for a long moment, a moment that made Chase's spark twist painfully inside its chamber. He wished the human would remove his hand from his arm -- the contact felt good, but it only reminded him of what he could never have. Bad enough that it had nearly killed him to admit that he could never have what he really wanted...

"Who says it can never be?"

"B-But sir! I mean... Charlie... it's impossible..."

"If there's one thing our team has proven time and again, it's that nothing's impossible." Charlie laughed gently and moved his hand to Chase's shoulder. "There's always going to be a special place in my heart for Molly. But that doesn't mean there can't also be room for you."

Chase stared at him, hopelessly confused. "Are you sure about this? I... I don't want you to feel forced into a relationship with me. It wouldn't be right."

"Chase... we've been friends for a long time. But I'm willing to try this out, and see if we can't make it be something else." He hesitated, then leaned in and kissed Chase lightly on the cheek. "Give me a little time to get used to this... but if it's meant to be, it'll be. I'm sure of it."

Chase reached up to touch the spot where he'd been kissed, a smile finally crossing his faceplate. Warmth flooded his spark, born of hope that maybe, just maybe, his dream wasn't so far out of reach as he'd first thought. 

"Thank you," he murmured. "M-may I?"

"May you what?"

"R-return the favor?" he stammered. "The... the kiss?"

Charlie laughed. "You don't need to ask."

Chase almost risked kissing his mouth, but felt it wasn't good to press his luck too much. He settled for sitting up just enough to press his lip plates against his cheek. Compared to mechs he'd kissed in the past, Charlie felt warm and soft and so alive...

There was the cough of a mech clearing their vocalizer, and both human and 'Bot turned to see Ratchet eyeing them. Quickly Chase laid back down, cursing himself for letting them be caught.

"Could you wait until he's fully re-energized before you start making out with him, Chief Burns?" Ratchet asked, arching an optic ridge. "He'll be out of here by the end of the day, think you can wait that long?"

Charlie laughed. "Can do, sir."

Ratchet managed a smile. "I'm happy for you, Chase." And he returned to work.

Chase felt his faceplates heating up in embarassment. "Perhaps we need to be a little more careful about this."

"Don't worry about it," Charlie replied. "You rest, all right? My orders as well as doctor's orders. We'll have some more one-on-one time when you're out of Ratchet's clutches."

Chase smiled. "I would like that very much."

"Take care of yourself, Chase. For me as well as for your team." And with a final fond pat to the shoulder, he walked out.

Chase settled in and offlined his optics, willing himself to fade into recharge. The sooner he rested himself up, the sooner he could see the Chief again. He fully intended to make good use of this smaller body while he still had it.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Festival Of New](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7429485) by [Optimus_Primes_Daughter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Optimus_Primes_Daughter/pseuds/Optimus_Primes_Daughter)




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